What it does
Openverse is a free, open-source search engine for openly licensed images and audio. It indexes media held by other providers, including photographs, illustrations and other image types.
Search for a subject, narrow the results to images, then use filters such as licence, provider, aspect ratio and size. An item page presents the reported licence and attribution information and links to the original provider for the file. Download options vary because the files are held by those providers.
Openverse’s terms say it does not verify each work’s licensing status. Follow the original item link to confirm the permission and required credit before publication. The search engine’s MIT software licence is separate from the licence of any image it indexes.
WordPress.com also offers an Openverse option under Select Image in image-using blocks. Chosen images enter the site’s media library, count toward its storage allowance and receive an automatic credit caption.
Strengths
- Search filters include licence, provider, aspect ratio and image size.
- Item pages bring licence and attribution information together.
Watch out for
- Reported image licences require confirmation with the original provider.
- Downloads depend on the provider that holds the file.
Best for
- Designers searching across openly licensed image collections
Sources
- GitHub - WordPress/openverse (Oct 27, 2026)
- Openverse Terms of Service - Openverse documentation (Oct 27, 2026)
- Openverse and Photo Directory - Make Openverse (Oct 27, 2026)
- How to Use and Contribute to the WordPress Photo Directory and Openverse (Oct 27, 2026)
- Openverse - WordPress.com Support (Oct 27, 2026)